Buckwheat Linguine with Aubergine and Mango

I want to grasp them in my fist, but they are far too swift, fleeting and melting away into the next. Days … how fast they disappear. No matter how hard I try to capture at least parts of it, to make it last just a little longer it seems the faster they slip away. Time flies with wings of a hummingbird; here, there - then gone! Hard to keep a track of but providing an inner satisfaction of having experienced something unique and leaving us with pure exhilaration and hungry for more. All three of us are wrapped up in our projects and assignments keeping us so busy that we lose track of time. But we do not lose track of each other and while it seems we are playing a game of touch and go, passing each other from assignment to task to project somehow we manage to find the balance of keeping it together.

Weekends become our Zen zone, where we let our souls gently sway in each other’s company. Long breakfasts are meant to catch up and talk, but also to organize. Calendars are synced, chores divided and schedules are updated – school projects, photo assignments and design meetings are all carefully coordinated, in color and once I have an overview of the upcoming week I seem to relax. Organization avoids chaos and when one is in Stockholm during the week and the other needs to travel on a project, we need perfect planning.

Last week a project took me away to Mainz near Frankfurt and as I arranged for a friend to pick Soeren up from school and checked to see if Tom’s flight from Stockholm arrived in time for him to collect Soeren in the evening, it struck me that what we lacked in the quantity of time we spend together we make up in quality. Although Soeren is our common denominator, we take time for a twosome. I cannot remember when the last time the two of us went shopping together. But recently we did. Soeren away at a birthday party, we had the whole afternoon to ourselves and we decided to hit the stores.

Elementary to some, but for us it was a special Saturday afternoon. As Tom flirted with the sales ladies making them giggle and run around the store getting me skirts, dresses and blouses I sweet talked the salesman to show Tom a newer version of classic. Sitting on the banks of the river, sipping on my café latte I tried to catch the fleeting moment as it swept past me.

This recipe documents how fast time travels. I made it roughly a year ago when my cousin, whom I had last seen in diapers and now all grown up, was visiting me. The recipe is an adaptation from a recipe in Yotam Ottolengi’s books Plenty, a fabulous cookbook with enticing vegetarian dishes to make your mouth water. While the recipe calls for soba noodles, I use buckwheat linguine. The pairing of sweet and ripe mango with the creamy richness of aubergines might be an unusual pairing but the flavors complement each other deliciously. Tossed in a light dressing, the dish is eaten at room temperature after the flavors have blended with each other. Perfect for a light lunch!

In a small saucepan gently warm vinegar, sugar and salt, until the sugar dissolves.

Remove the sauce from heat and add garlic, chilli and sesame oil. Set aside and allow to cool, then add the lime juice and zest.

In a large pan heat up the sunflower oil and shallow-fry the aubergine in a few batches, until golden brown. Place the aubergine in a colander, sprinkle with salt and allow to drain.

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Shake off access water and place pasta in a large mixing bowl.

Toss pasta, with the sauce, mango cubes and aubergines. Add the onion slices and herbs and mix quickly.

Leave for flavors to intermingle with each other for about an hour then serve piled in big bowls.

Verdict

The flavors come together incredibly in this dish. The tangy dressing adds a brilliant kick bringing out the flavors of mango and aubergine in a wonderfully unique way.

The very gracious Veronica of Gojee contacted me a while ago and asked me to become one of their food writers. Gojee is an awesome collection of recipes from bloggers across the blogesphere. Come on over and check them out. If you are craving for something, tell Gojee what you have and you’ll be served with scrumptious recipes from around the world. No more dinner time blues with this massive variety.

I loved this post, Meeta! So well written, so beautifully expressed... time flies and there is so little we can do about it but live intensely, right?The dish looks exquisite. I think I'd love the combination of aubergine and mango, I adore them both!!!

Absolutely love this post Meeta...its what most of us do right?catch the fleeting moment?I love ottolenghi's books...perfect for vegetarians and there is so much variety!I love the roasted veg tart from the book as well..try it & do give it yr spin girl!

Time does indeed fly and I can only imagine how hard it must be at times to fit everyones schedule in. I struggle with that and we're only two! I've had Plenty in my hands a couple of times but have yet to buy it. But I love this recipe!

I want to be alone with A, relax sit by the river with a cuppa :) It has been sooooo long! I have never had buckwheat pasta and am really intrigued as the buckwheat is Indian "kuttu".. so many ways to use this flour! lovely light refreshing meal.

I would never think of pairing mango and aubergines but somehow now that I see it it makes complete sense. Mezmerized by buckwheat!I meant to pick up Plenty for awhile now I might just get on Amazon and do it now. Pretty photography as usual.

Thank you all so much for your comments. THe touch and go routine is actually fine - and we seem to be mastering it quite well - but as the saying goes time flies when you are having fun. The combination of mango and aubergine does sound unique and unusual but it's one that works extremely well. I hope you do try this and see for yourself.

I have recently discovered how mangos can add a special flavor profile when combined with other ingredients. I have yet to try pasta and aubergines, what an inspired recipe. Aubergine is such an elegant description for what we call eggplant!

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Hello, I am Meeta a freelance food photographer, stylist and writer living in the cuturally rich city of Weimar, Germany with my husband and our son, where I enjoy preparing multi-cultural home cooked meals with fresh organic ingredients. What's for lunch, Honey? is my award winning food blog where I combine my love for food with my love for photography and styling...